Alaska tiny shrew

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MUSIC Every year around Mother's Day, nature's moms are busy having and caring for newborns. Mammal mothers will feed, care and shelter their young during their first months and beyond. Mother raccoons usually have 3-4 young around April or May, but some may arrive later in the summer. The young are born with fur and weigh just a few ounces or as much as a chicken egg. They are either born with bandit-like face masks or will have them within ten days. In February, mother opossums give birth to around nine babies after only 13 days of pregnancy. After birth, the tiny hairless babies which weigh less than a dime, crawl into their mother's pouch to start nursing and finish growing. Once they get too big to all fit in mom's pouch, some will hitch a ride on her back as she looks for food. White-tailed deer don't any have permanent homes so the female doe and her fawns will bed down on the ground. Mother Does will have 1-3 babies, usually twins around May and June. When firstborn, fawns can stand and see but not run. They drink milk from their mothers for the first 3-4 months. Newborn fawns need a lot of protection to give them a chance in the wild. They are born scent-free to keep them safe from natural enemies like coyotes and bobcats. Their red-brown fur and white spots help keep them better hidden and blended in with the fields and forests. After 3-6 weeks of age, fawns begin to eat plants and follow mom on feeding trips. They can spot her from her white tail waving like a flag as she moves along. Around April or May, mother otters give birth to 2-4 pups inside a den. Dens are often burrows built by other animals in logs, brushpiles or abandoned beaver lodges. Young otters are born furry and just under 5 inches long. Their eyes remain closed for about a month. Pups are weaned for about 2 1/2 months. Then they learn to swim. Otters are great swimmers! They can hold their breath underwater for 4 or more minutes. Also born in dens are coyote pups. Coyote dens are usually in unused fields close to woods. The female remodels the burrow formerly used by a fox, skunk, groundhog or badger. Sometimes she might dig her own home in loose soil. In April or May, mother coyotes will have about 5-7 pups. First, they are fed on milk like other mammals and then on food brought back to the den. The pups come out of the den for the first time after about three weeks. Coyotes are carnivores and will eat rabbits, rodents, young deer and insects, and also ripe fruit like persimmons. Young coyotes go their separate ways in the fall. Springtime is busy for nature moms! Mammal mothers build, burrow and remodel dens, have litters, provide tasty food, teach them to hunt and forage, and help them grow strong and safe to go out in the wild on their own. Remember if you're lucky enough to see nature babies alone in the wild, let them be so their mothers can return and care for them. Watch and enjoy nature families from a safe distance and keep Mother's Day wild! MUSIC